What to Do When It Starts Pouring Halfway Through Your Hike

Main Topic/Keyword: what to do when it rains while hiking

Secondary Keywords: hiking in the rain, wet weather hiking, hiking rain gear, autumn hiking safety, staying dry while hiking

Trait 1: Slightly sarcastic
Trait 2: Suspiciously optimistic about weather forecasts
Trait 3: Deeply protective of dry socks

Key Points

• Act before you're completely soaked, not five minutes afterward.
• Get rain protection on and protect important backpack contents quickly.
• Slow down because rocks, roots, leaves, and mud become more slippery.
• Decide whether continuing is sensible rather than stubbornly sticking to the original plan.
• Staying warm and reasonably dry matters more as temperatures fall.
• Carry simple backup rain protection, even when the forecast looks innocent.

The Forecast Said 10% Chance of Rain. Obviously, It Rained.

I need to confess something.

Despite years of hiking, I still occasionally look at a 10% chance of rain and interpret it as "there is absolutely no possibility of water falling from the sky."

This is not how percentages work.

I know that.

And yet.

Last autumn, my friend Lucy and I were about halfway through a 14-kilometre hike when the sky changed from "slightly moody" to "Netflix crime documentary opening scene" in about six minutes.

At 12:37 p.m., I was eating a slightly crushed peanut butter sandwich.

At 12:42, it started drizzling.

At 12:46, the rain was coming sideways and I was standing under a tree trying to put on a waterproof jacket while still holding half the sandwich.

Why didn't I put the sandwich away first?

Great question.

I have no answer.

So, what should you actually do when it starts pouring halfway through your hike?

Preferably something smarter than what I did.

1. Don't Wait to See If It "Passes"

This is probably my biggest rain-related hiking mistake.

You feel three drops.

"It's probably nothing."

Five minutes later your shoulders are damp.

"It'll pass."

Another five minutes and your trousers are wet, your backpack looks depressed, and water has somehow entered one sock.

Put your rain protection on early.

If the sky is clearly opening up, stop somewhere safe and get yourself sorted before you're soaked.

Actually, wait.

Don't necessarily stop immediately if you're standing somewhere exposed or unsafe.

You know what? Never mind, let's phrase that differently.

Move to a safe place first, then put on your rain gear before conditions get worse.

See? We're learning.

2. Protect the Stuff That Really Needs to Stay Dry

Your backpack itself getting wet isn't necessarily the disaster.

Your warm layer, phone, navigation equipment, first aid supplies, and spare clothes getting soaked can be.

This is where a little preparation makes an enormous difference.

Before a wet-weather hike, I like to think about three levels of importance:

1. Must stay dry: spare layers, electronics, emergency supplies.
2. Would strongly prefer dry: snacks, gloves, hat.
3. Whatever: water bottle, trekking poles, the receipt that's somehow been living in the bottom of my backpack since April.

Dry bags, waterproof pouches, backpack covers, or even properly sealed internal bags can help.

You don't need an expedition-grade system.

You just don't want your emergency fleece absorbing enough water to qualify as a small pond.

3. Have Backup Rain Protection

Forecasts are useful.

Forecasts are not magic.

That's why having lightweight emergency rain protection tucked away can be worthwhile, especially during autumn when getting wet can quickly become more than just uncomfortable.

A compact option such as the AzenGear Emergency Survival Poncho 4-Pack can make sense as part of your backup kit for unexpected rain, particularly when you need quick additional coverage without dedicating loads of backpack space to it.

The important word there is backup.

You're preparing for the hike where the forecast lies to your face.

Which, um, happens.

Oh, That Reminds Me...

Can we discuss people who carry umbrellas hiking?

I used to judge them.

Then I saw a man casually walking through moderate rain under a bright green umbrella while I was zipped into my waterproof jacket, sweating like I'd been interrogated for state secrets.

He looked incredibly comfortable.

I looked like a damp baked potato.

So I don't judge anymore.

Growth.

4. Slow Down Because the Trail Just Changed

This part matters.

When rain arrives, you're not walking on the same trail anymore.

Dry rocks become slippery.

Roots become slippery.

Wooden bridges become suspicious.

Mud develops ambitions.

And wet autumn leaves can hide all of the above.

So slow down.

Take shorter steps where necessary. Give yourself more time on descents. Watch where you're putting your feet.

If you're using trekking poles, this is exactly the sort of moment when they stop looking like unnecessary accessories and start looking rather clever.

You don't get bonus hiking points for moving at the same speed in bad conditions.

Nobody's standing at the trailhead with a stopwatch.

Probably.

5. Decide Whether Continuing Still Makes Sense

This is where ego occasionally enters the chat.

You've planned the route.

You're halfway there.

You've driven 90 minutes.

You bought a specific chocolate bar for the summit.

Obviously you want to continue.

But the original plan doesn't have to remain the plan.

Ask yourself:

• Is visibility getting worse?
• Is the trail becoming unsafe?
• Are you getting cold?
• Is there thunder or another serious weather hazard?
• Do you still have enough daylight?
• Is everyone in your group comfortable continuing?

If several answers are making you uncomfortable, change the plan.

Turn around. Take a shorter route. Head somewhere sheltered if that's the safer option.

My advice is to decide early.

Although, yes, every situation is different, so "early" is doing a lot of work in that sentence.

6. Pay Attention to Getting Cold

Summer rain can sometimes feel almost refreshing.

October rain?

Different personality entirely.

Wet clothing plus wind plus falling temperatures can cool you surprisingly quickly.

Notice how you feel, particularly if you've stopped moving.

Shivering, clumsiness, confusion, unusual tiredness, or difficulty speaking clearly can be warning signs that someone is becoming dangerously cold. Don't just keep walking and hope they'll magically improve.

Get sheltered, replace wet clothing with dry layers if possible, add insulation, and seek help when necessary.

This isn't the fun part of the article, but it's important.

Rain is funny until somebody can't get warm.

Wait, Where Was I Going With This?

Right.

Being wet.

You know what's strange? Hiking has completely changed my definition of luxury.

Luxury used to mean a nice hotel.

Now?

Dry socks.

A warm car.

A packet of crisps that hasn't been crushed into savoury dust.

A seat that isn't a wet rock.

Honestly, put me in a warm car after five hours of autumn rain and hand me a mediocre coffee and I'll react like I've just won The Traitors.

Don't get me started on people who microwave fish at work.

7. Don't Forget About Your Phone

Rain and phones have a complicated relationship.

Even if your phone is water resistant, I'd still protect it, especially if you're relying on it for navigation or communication.

Keep it somewhere accessible and protected rather than buried beneath 14 increasingly wet objects.

Also, cold conditions can affect battery performance, so don't spend 40 minutes filming cinematic rain footage for your Instagram Story.

Yes, the mist looks cool.

No, you probably don't need nine videos of it.

Your group chat will survive.

8. Deal With Wet Gear When You Get Home

Here's the part everyone conveniently forgets.

You survived the rain.

You reach home.

Hot shower.

Food.

Sofa.

Then your wet backpack sits by the door for 36 hours developing its own ecosystem.

Don't do that.

Or, well, try not to.

When you get home:

1. Empty your backpack completely.
2. Hang wet clothing and equipment somewhere ventilated.
3. Remove insoles from soaked footwear where appropriate.
4. Let everything dry properly before storage.
5. Check for damage while you're already handling the gear.

I once discovered a banana in a side pocket during this process.

It had been there long enough that identifying it required forensic confidence.

That's all I'm saying.

Rain Doesn't Automatically Ruin a Hike

Here's the weird part.

Some of my favorite hikes have been wet.

Not during the horizontal-rain-in-my-eyeballs phase, obviously.

But afterward?

The forest smells stronger. Colors look ridiculously saturated. Streams get louder. Mist hangs between hills.

Everything feels a little more dramatic.

Very cinematic.

Very main character.

Very "someone should really check whether the car park gate closes at 6."

A rainy hike can still be a brilliant hike. You just need to respect the fact that conditions have changed.

Get your waterproofs on before you're drenched. Protect your dry layers. Slow down. Keep an eye on temperature and daylight. And most importantly, be willing to change your plan.

Because sometimes the smart hiking decision is continuing.

Sometimes it's turning around.

And sometimes it's sitting in your car at 3:52 p.m., wearing dry socks, eating the emergency chocolate you technically didn't earn.

Which still counts.